


The mourning pyre

by Kairin16



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-17
Updated: 2014-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-09 00:44:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1139435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kairin16/pseuds/Kairin16
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil says goodbye to something important to him</p>
            </blockquote>





	The mourning pyre

**Author's Note:**

> This was a second segment in my Phil avengers trope card “suits”, but I’ve never finished it so here it is.

The shirt was completely ruined, big hole gaping open in the middle of it, buttons missing. Not to mention the enormous blood stain on both sides of it, red spilling around the hole in the patterns that looked vaguely like the ink stains SHIELD’s shrinks kept shoving under his nose. He was just glad to be back in his own quarters and out of the medical, but he didn’t understand the need to give him the destroyed suit back.

There was a rumor upon the hellicarrier that he gave his destroyed suits funeral pyre. It was ridiculous and very much untrue. He liked his suits alright, but it was just clothes, nothing to get sentimental about, he had more of them in his closet. He had a whole collection actually. He wondered if giving him back the one that he was stabbed in was some kind of psychological warfare on Fury’s part. Knowing the man, probably yes, but damn if Phil was up to figuring out what he wanted this time.

Maria told him about the whole scheme about his death, that it pushed the team together in a way that they couldn’t before. She told him about the cards Fury thrown into Captain’s and Tony’s faces. Phil was of the opinion that it was unnecessarily cruel, but it did the job of making Stark realize what Loki was planning and ensuring him and Cap played well together so Phil didn’t think he had much room to complain about using his supposed death like that. Especially since his cards were safe and sound in his locker, not a drop of blood on them.

What kind of idiot would he have to be to take his most prized possession with him to face the wrath of a demigod? That was really insulting. At least he knew that he would be warmly greeted when he finally got to meet the team again. Clint’s probably going to blow a gasket and Tony will make a whole diva act out of Fury lying to them about something like that, but they would be alright in the end. He wondered how Captain is going to react.

They didn’t have much time to get to know each other, and he knows he didn’t make the best first impression. Actually, if there was a competition about the worst first impressions in the history, he would probably win it with that one. But he still had a feeling that either way, good Captain wouldn’t take lightly to being lied to and manipulated like that. If anything, the incident with the Tesseract powered weapons should be a proof that the man didn’t take lightly to being treated like that.

Phil discarded the destroyed suit into the trashbin, folding it to save the space and went slowly to his closet. He was allowed to leave the medical, but it didn’t mean he was completely healed, the skin around his skin still pulling at every harder movement of his. It was a miracle he even survived, so he probably didn’t have much room to complain. At least that’s what Maria kept telling him when he’s wheedling for more pain killers. It’s not his fault almost dying tends to be painful.

There were clean shirts hanged neatly inside, paired up with jackets and pairs of trousers, his formal and professional attire. The collection of ties was presented on the back of the door, most of them black with the occasional splash of color that’s either a special occasion strip or a gift. Like the Christmas tree one that Natasha and Clint bought him for a shared gift on their first holiday’s together. He had to make sure Tasha was okay after he changed. Losing her partner and her handler in one day was probably not the easiest thing on her.

He wondered if someone told Clint about his death before they pulled him into the field. Probably not. He wouldn’t go anywhere before they showed him the proof of Phil’s death and then the cat would be out of the bag before Fury was ready to admit he lied. He still wasn’t really and only Phil’s and Maria’s pushing made him agree to his return to field work. Or as much field work as he could take with his mobility still not being up to his usual standards.

He forgone the suit after a thought, pulling on a pair of slacks and shrugging on one of the cashmere sweaters Clint brought him from his assignment in Turkey. They were supposed to be an Anniversary gift, but the mission went longer than either of them expected and both man and the sweaters were late for almost two months. Phil was going out of his mind in the meantime and almost strangled the man from sheer relief when he finally came back home, battered, but not worse for wear.

Entire team was currently in the briefing room where Fury explained to them curious case of his agents being alive despite the rumors he himself started. There was probably a lot of yelling and if he knew his agents as well as he liked to think he did, a lot of threats. He missed that crazy bunch, even the ones he didn’t have much time to get to know. He just hoped they wouldn’t hold this against him for very long, the dying stunt. He was hoping to get back to being their handler soon and he couldn’t do it if they didn’t trust him or misbehaved just to punish him for it.

It appeared he didn’t have to worry about that, because when he stepped into the room there was a sudden silence falling on the previously arguing heroes. And then Natasha’s graceful arms were around his neck, holding him strong but gentle in that way only she knew how. He hugged her back and tugged Barton closer when he inched in their direction, three of them holding to each other for a moment before stepping back. It was a moment of weakness, but one he would repeat gladly anytime just to see the relieved smiles on his agents’ faces.

Tony was next, wavering with his hands before hugging Phil stiff and hesitant. It was quick and ended faster than it begun, but Phil could appreciate how hard it was for the man to do that. Tony Stark was the most unphysical physical, most complicated man Phil had ever had a pleasure of working with. And he wouldn’t change it for anything. The man needed some stability in his life, and although Phil butchered the job a little till now, he was going to fix Fury’s mistake as soon as possible.

He exchanged handshakes with the rest of the team, and one very painful hug from Thor, before stepping to the front of the room and pushing Fury to the side. He could see Nick wasn’t very happy about being pushed around on his own ship, but there was nothing the man could do now that would better the situation. Avengers had to work with SHIELD if they wanted to avoid any repercussions from the government and after the stunts Fury kept pulling, Phil wouldn’t be surprised if none of them trusted the director anymore.

So he stepped up, like he was prone to do and decided to lead their team. Not in the battlefield, but in the legal and political field, when everything had more layers than substance and everywhere were traps that lawyers with years of experience had problems avoiding. He would be their guide in the world when physical strength or cunning weren’t enough to win for them.


End file.
